Impact of meningitis outbreak spreads in Minn.

MINNEAPOLIS - State health officials have now contacted nearly all Minnesotans who may have been exposed to a deadly strain of fungal meningitis.

Officials revised the number of potentially exposed people downward Monday to 831.

That includes Melissa Stevens of Maple Grove. "I'm a single mom of two teenagers and they are very aware of what's going on right now," says Stevens. "It's nerve wracking."

Stevens received a steroid injection to treat neck pain in August and her treatment facility, Medical Advanced Pain Specialists, was one of two Minnesota providers that received the tainted drugs. The other is Minnesota Surgery Center.

She was notified by phone of potential exposure on Friday. "I started doing my research and my heart rate starts elevating as I'm reading all of the stories," says Stevens. "I thought, ok, I better get in."

A spinal tap at the emergency room Monday came back negative for meningitis and she is hoping those results carry through to blood work being conducted over the next several days.

Three otherMinnesota women were not so lucky. The women, all in their 40's, tested positive and are currently receiving treatment.

"It can be a very severe life threatening disease. We don't want to fool around with it at all," says Buddy Ferguson with the Minnesota Department of Health.

Nationwide, seven people have died during the current outbreak.

All of the tainted steroids were manufactured at a single Massachusetts plant and have since been recalled.